Metal working machine



April M34. E. A. CONNER ETAL, 1,955,535

METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8.. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l Mmm Illia;

Apr E?? 319354. E. A. CONNER Er AL,

METAL WORKING MACHINE HNVENTOR fa WE i1-7 3934 E. A. CONNER Er AL. 1,955,535

METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1930 S Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNEYS.

Patente Apr. 17, 1934 UNiTED STATES PATENT GFFICE Robinson, Waterbury, Conn.,

assignors to American Chain Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application December 8, 1930, Serial No. 500,710

a Claims.

This invention relates to metal-working of the sort which is usually accomplished by a metalworking machine of the type characterized by a head having an annular series of hammer rolls, and a plurality of die blocks disposed within said rolls in annular arrangement around the working axis of the machine, these die blocks being adapted to be engaged and impelled concentrically inward against the work by said hammer rolls when relative rotation is caused between the die blocks androlls, causing engagement of the dies with the work in a multiplicity of impacts, such a machine being especially useful for working metals while cold, although heated metals also may be worked.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a method of developing a high velocity of impacts in a series of radially reciprocable metalowing dies operable by a series of hammers arranged about the center of said dies, which consists in revolving the series of hammers and the series of dies in opposite directions.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine adapted to carry the above method into effect, by the provision of an outer rotatable head acting to revolve the hammer rolls in one direction, in combination with an inner rotatable swaging head for revolving the die blocks with their dies in a direction opposite to that in which the hammer rolls are revolved by the outer rotating head, the purpose served being to provide for a very large number of high velocity impact and return strokes, delivering metal-flowing impacts upon the work at very high frequency, and with a relatively low development of centrifugal force in the dies as compared with that produced in machines of this general type, when it is attempted to rotate rapidly the head carrying the dies, without any means to revolve the rolls in the opposite direction, in an effort to secure a desirably high frequency of impacts.

The number of impactments secured by existing methods is limited by the speed at which the rotating head carrying the dies can be operated practically, for it is undesirable to rotate such a head at a speed which would give the desired number of impacts required to complete the metal-flowing, in a single operation, as the revolution of the dies at the higher speeds develops centrifugal force to an extent which causes very undesirable stresses in the working parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide an outer rotary head with means to rotate the rotary hammer carrier associated therewith in such a manner as to urge the hammers yieldingly into (Cl. 'Z8-21) engagement with the dies so as to deliver cushioned blows upon the work, this eiect being produced in practice, preferably, by mounting the hammer carrier with a friction fit in the outer head, so that the hammers are revolved at a somewhat slower rate than the outer head, and the hammer carrier is permitted to slip slightly when the hammers strike the dies, this yielding of the hammers resulting in the delivery of cushioned impacts upon the work by the dies.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine with working dies so actuated as to operate upon the work without developing a highly rotational tendency in the work piece upon which the machine is operating.

In some existing types of rotary swedging machines in which the dies are rotated around a stationary work-piece, the dies set up a twisting stress and a twisting strain in the work as well as a radial movement of material. This lis due to an undesirably prolonged contact of the dies with the Work which, in one type of conventional rotary swedging machine, employing toggles to actuate the dies, is caused by inherently slow action of the toggles.

In another conventional machine of the type employing hammer rolls, the prolonged contact is caused by the fact that the rolls are positively revolved in the same direction as the swaging dies.

In the present invention an essential diierence in the duration of contact between the dies and the work, as compared with that'just referred to, is effected by the novel method of rotating the hammers and the dies in opposite directions, whereby the duration of contact is shortened.

In its preferred embodiment, employing a swaging head rotating the dies in one direction and an outer head rotating in the other direction, with an intermediate carrier for hammer rolls oating between these heads, both the swaging head and the outer head tend to set up rotation of the rolls about their individual axes in the same direction, which rotationA tends to drive the roll-carrier and hammer rolls in the same direction as the outer head; and in the opposite direction from the swaging head. Rotation of the floating hammer carrier is started by journal friction. Once started, the rollers under an epicyclic rotation and under centrifugal force additionally tend to rotate the hammer carrier and this effect is cumulative.

With a swaging head provided with four dies and twelve rollers, rotated at 300 R. P. M., there are 14,400 swages delivered per minute. If, in addition, the hammer carrier rotates at 200 110 R. P. M. in the reverse direction, it will add 9,600 additional swages per minute, making a total of 24,000 and moreover it will decrease by 40 per cent the duration of gripping contact between dies and work.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the use therein of dies arranged in different sets, the dies of each set acting preferably in opposed relation to each other, and different sets of dies producing if desired a different contour upon the region of the work piece being acted upon thereby.

In carrying into effect the last named object, it is desirable to rotate only the rotatable head carrying the rolls, and to that end the invention has for a cognate object the organization of the various parts of the machine so as to provide not only for opposite relative revolution of the rolls and the dies as hereinbefore indicated, but also to permit rotation of either rotating head while the other head is maintained relatively stationary.

Other objects of the machine comprise the provision of means for supporting and manipulating the work pieces conveniently, and for controlling the position of the dies in order to facilitate the introduction of the work thereto and its withdrawal therefrom.

The above and other features of the invention are illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specication and are set forth in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section of a metal-working machine in the construction of which the invention has been embodied.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, of the working heads of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary, detail views taken respectively on the lines 5 5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view in rear elevation of part of the die-head, taken at 7 7 Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 shows the machine provided with driving means suitably organized to carry the invention into effect.

As a now-preferred form of apparatus for carrying into effect the novel method of working metal that constitutes part of the present invention, we have illustrated a machine in the construction of which are embodied certain novel features that also constitute part of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description, the part designated by the reference character 10 is a suitable base or standard upon which the various parts of the machine are supported. Upon this base is mounted rotatably upon roller bearings 11, a hollow shaft 12 provided with a rotary outer head 13 of annular form which carries a series of hammer rolls 14, mounted in a carrier 15, and which are caused to revolve by rotation of the outer head. This outer head may be of any suitable contour and size and may be rotated by any suitable means, such as a belt 19 applied to the periphery thereof, as illustrated. The preferred structure of the hammer carrier will be described more at length hereinafter.

The machine is further characterized by a rotary swaging head 20 supporting a series of dies in position to be surrounded and operated upon bythe roll hammers, these dies being of any suitable number and contour, according to the work to be performed, fourdies being shown in the instance illustrated, designated by the reference characters 21 and 22, the. dies 21 constituting one set of dies and dies 22 constituting another set of dies, the dies of each set being arranged in opposed relation to each other, as indicated. These dies are supported in radial slots 23 formed in the head 20 which is preferably integral with a hollow shaft 24 extending coaxially within the hollow shaft 12 and having an extension 25 upon which is fixed, as by a key 26, a suitable pulley 27 arranged to be actuated by suitable means such as a belt 28. The shaft 24 is provided with suitable bearings 29 interposed between the heads 13 and 20 and with similar bearings 30 carried by a bearing plate 31 at the outer end of the machine, a collar 32 being screwed upon the shaft 24 to hold the parts in assembled relation.

The above arrangement of parts is preferred, as it affords a very sturdy, smooth-running assembly of working parts, but modications may be adopted as found desirable in building machines adapted to carry the invention into effect.

The hammer carrier comprises preferably a ring 15, to which reference has already been made briefly, having lateral projections 16 (see Figs. 4 and 5) which serve as separators for the rolls 14, the separators being grooved at 16m so that the rolls are free to rotate about their axes. The front of the carrier 15 is closed by a ring 17 secured tothe ring 15 by the bolts 17a: passing through the projections 16. (See Fig. 5.)

The above carrier structure has a friction fit within a ring 13a: fixed within the outer head 13, so that the carrier is rotated by rotation of the outer head, but at a somewhat lower rate of rotation, and the rolls 14 are urged yieldingly against the blocks or members 33 hereinafter described,

which constitute means co-operating with the rolls 14 to impart cushioned metal-flowing impacts to the work, in pursuance of an important object of the invention.

In the form illustrated, the blocks 33 are shown mounted in the slots 23 contiguous to the dies revolving rolls 14 and are thereby impelled inwardly.

In pursuance of a further object of the invention, means are provided to control the position of the dies 2l and 22, so that they may be readily separated for the purpose of introducing or withdrawing the work piece along the axis of the machine, and as a preferred form of means for this purpose the drawings illustrate a series of wedges 37 interposed between the inner walls of the blocks 33 and inclined surfaces 38 formed upon the dies respectively. These Wedges are arranged to be moved coaxially by suitable means, for which purpose a rod or shaft 39 is shown extending through the bore of the hollow shaft 24 and having at one end a series of radial arms 40 I" end of a lever mounted pivotally at 46 upon a bracket 47 secured to the base 10.

The other end 48 of the lever 45 is connected by a link 49 with one arm 50 of a shipping lever mounted pivotally at 5l. in a bracket 52 secured to the base 10, the lever 50 having a handle 53 by which the user of the machine may operate the wedges 37 while standing at a region near the working end of the machine.

When the handle 53 has been thrown into the position shown in full lines in the drawings, the wedges 37 will occupy the position illustrated, and the dies 21 and 22 will be held in position to operate upon the work piece. The lever 50 is shown as provided with a detent 54 engaged with an adjustable keeper 55 which thus acts to hold the dies in their operating position. The detent 54 is mounted pivotally at 56 upon-the handle 50 and an arm 57 is provided which may be operated to throw the detent 54 away from the keeper 55, and then the handle 53 may be thrown toward the left, acting through the link 49 and lever 45 to pull the rod 39 and spider 41 toward the left, thus withdrawing the wedges 37 so that the dies 21 and 22 may be readily moved away from each other to clear the work. This mechanism may be utilized, by proper positioning of the wedges 37, to control the operative limit of movement of the dies 21 and 22.

The work piece may be suitably presented for the operation of the dies 21 and 22 thereon, and as a convenient form of support for this purpose,

Y, the drawings illustrate a work table mounted to slide upon the bracket 52 and upon which work table the work piece may be rested and if desired may be secured removably by any well known or suitable means (not shown). The table may be-advanced toward the dies, and withdrawn therefrom, by any suitable means, such as the hand-wheel 61, and its gearing.

Means may be, and preferably will be, provided to throw off the detent 54 and release the shipper lever after completion of the operation by the dies on the workpiece, and they may desirably be accomplished automatically by the table 60 at the commencement of its movement toward the right in withdrawing the workpiece.

For this purpose, a latch 62 is shown in the drawings, having a bevelled nose 63 which rides over the arm 57 of the detent 54 when the table 60 is carrying the work toward the dies, and when the table 60 is withdrawn to remove the work from the dies, moving toward the right, the latch 62 engages the arm- 57 and rocks the detent on its pivot 56, swinging the detent upward away from the keeper 55, and a spring 64 acts to rock the shipping lever 50, causing the link 49 to move toward the right, and the lever 45 pulls the rod 39 and wedges 37 rearward, freeing the dies for insertion of a new workpiece.

Fig. 8 illustrates an installation of the machine in which the actuating belts 19 and 28 are run from pulleys and 71 on a shaft 72, the belt 19 being crossed so as to cause the outer head 13 and hammer rolls 14 to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the inner head 20 and dies 21 and 22, in pursuance of that feature of the invention above described.

In operation of the machine in the above manner, it is found that the metal-flowing impacts are so delivered as not to cause an appreciable turning of the work around its axis, so that it is possible to feed the work by hand, as is desirable in performing some kinds of metal-owing operations.

It is also found that the cushioned blows delivered at the very high frequency made possible by rotation of the swaging dies and hammers in opposite directions, and with the high velocity of impact strokes and return strokes of the dies which is developed by the novel method of operation above disclosed, result in a more perfect and continuous flowing of the metal thanl has been heretofore attained with rotary swaging machines, and produce an improvement in the grain of the metal worked upon, extending all the way to its core, the grain being caused to assume a fibrous character. 'The tensile strength of some metals operated upon has been increased by the operation from a strength of 55,000 pounds to the square inch to 75,000 pounds, in the case of aluminum bars, and other metals show a corresponding improvement.

It is to be noted that while the best results in metal-flowing are secured by operation of the machine to cause rotation of the dies and hammers in opposite directions, it is nevertheless possible to use the machine for swaging operations in which it is desirable to rotate only the hammers, in which event the pulley 71 may be disconnected by a clutch 74, so that the dies are not rotated, but are impacted repeatedly against the same surfaces of the workpiece. This is advantageous in producing iiat or other desired faces upon the work, and by providing one set of dies 21 of a dilerent contour from that of the dies 22, the work may be given different shapes on dilerent sides.

For other purposes the swaging head 13 may be rotated while the hammer head remains stationary, and this can be readily eiected by disconnecting the pulley 70 by means of a clutch 75, while the belt 28 is run to drive the swaging head 20.

Obviously the hammer carrier might be positively driven in the reverse direction from that of the swaging head, and the outer ring could float or be positively driven, and the rotation of all three might be adjusted in accordance with respective peripheral speeds that would avoid all slipping. In such case, a different type of swage would result. The dies would move inwardly on a denite cycle, regardless of the resistance to theirtravel, whereas by the method of operation herein disclosed if the resistance is high the rotation of the hammer carrier is retarded and the cycle of the swage is correspondingly altered.

We claim:

1. In a swaging apparatus, a rotary swaging head carrying a set of radially reciprocable metal-flowing dies, a rotary annular carrier provided with a series of hammer rolls surrounding said head, and adapted to revolve said hammers in successive engagement with said dies, power means, means driven by the power means for rotating said swaging head in one direction, and means driven by the power means for rotating said hammer carrier simultaneously in the opposite direction, thereby causing high Velocity impact and return strokes of said dies at a high rate of frequency.

2. In a swaging machine, a rotary inner swaging head carrying a set of radially movable dies, a rotary outer head surrounding the dies, a rotary annular carrier provided with a series of outer head, with said hammers, simultaneously in the opposite direction.

3. In a swaging apparatus, a rotary inner swaging head carrying a set of radially movable dies, a rotary outer head surrounding the dies, a rotary annular carrier provided with a series of hammer rolls intermediate said outer head and inner head, power means, means driven by the power means for rotating said inner head in one direction, other means driven by the power means for rotating said outer head simultaneously in the opposite direction, and means whereby said outer head acts to urge said hammer rolls yieldingly against said dies, imparting theretocushioned metal-owing impacts at a high rate of frequency.

4. In a swaging machine, a rotary inner swaging head carrying a set of radiallyl movable dies, a rotary outer head surrounding the dies, a rotary annular carrier provided with a series of hammers intermediate said outer head and inner head, means to rotate said inner head, with said dies, in one direction, and means to rotate said outer head, with said hammers, simultaneously in the opposite direction, said hammer carrier having a friction fit within said outer head. whereby said hammer carrier is caused to rotate with said outer head, at a lower rate of speed, and said hammer rolls are urged yieldngly against said dies, imparting thereto cushioned metal-flowing impacts at a high rate of frequency.

EDWARD A. CONNER.

HARRY G. ROBINSON. 

